other places

I really enjoyed this video and story about this public space along a street in Montreal and how and why it was transformed. In NYC, at Bloomberg’s Times Square, in the public “pedestrian plazas,” the seating is not set up so people interact with one another (it keeps people in their respective ‘group’). At Washington […]

Frederick Law Olmsted is pretty much revered in New York City and particularly amongst ‘park’ people. Olmsted (1822-1903) had a vision for his parks and this was put into play notably at Central Park and Prospect Park, two, among others, he designed with Calvert Vaux. But other than that, I don’t know that much about him. […]

Check out award-winning choreographer Debbie Allen (“So You Think You Can Dance,” “Fame”) and award-winning playwright Eve Ensler‘s collaboration with noted music producer Tena Clark — the result is the the song and accompanying music video “Break The Chain” part of a global call to end violence against women and girls. Look for the flash mob […]

This is a guest post and theatre review by Linda Zises of the currently-running Chicago-based “Fish Men.” Fish Men, the latest play by Cándido Tirado at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, is an ambitious venture inspired by New York City’s Washington Square Park Chess area in the aftermath of the tragic 9/11 attack on the City. Using […]

New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe will be a featured speaker next Tuesday, August 9th at 6:30 p.m. at a discussion “Whose Park is It? Financing and Administering New York’s New Parks” at the Museum of the City of New York. Instead of spending city money wisely on maintenance and staff at parks, Commissioner […]

Los Angeles has designated April Earthquake Preparedness Month and the city recently unveiled new banners that certainly, uh, get your attention. Planted in Beverly Hills, they read: “When it rocks, are you ready to roll?” The New York Times has the story. Is New York City prepared for an earthquake? Concern seems warranted as it […]

A really nice note from the manager of Freddy’s Bar in Brooklyn about their closing … “Freddy’s is not merely a building on a street corner, it is a grand idea. Freddy’s Bar has been the culmination of everything I am and everything I’ve ever wanted this bar to be.” Freddy’s was in the way […]

Help protect New York City’s water supply! I received an email from Alicia Mehl, the vice chairperson of NYH20, about her group and a fundraiser to support their work happening this Thursday, September 24th. She writes: Our organization is puting up a small but mighty fight to inform all New Yorkers about the imminent effect […]

Realize that little things lead to bigger things ... And there‚s a wonderful parable in the New Testament: The sower scatters seeds. Some seeds fall in the pathway and get stamped on, and they don‚t grow. Some fall on the rocks, and they don‚t grow. But some seeds fall on fallow ground, and they grow and multiply a thousandfold. Who knows where some good little thing that you‚ve done may bring results years later that you never dreamed of.
~ Pete Seeger